We need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return because of how God views time...

This week we are looking at a section of a letter in the Bible called the book of 2 Peter. Yesterday, we saw Peter provide for us a timeless warning that reveals for us a timeless reminder about Jesus and the message and teachings of Jesus that we are to always have at the forefront of our lives in that we need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return. And in 2 Peter 3:1-18, we see Peter reveal for us three different reasons why we need to be reminded of Jesus return.

Yesterday Peter revealed for us the reality that we need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return because there will be those who ridicule our belief in His return. The timeless reality is that Jesus return has been promised and proclaimed throughout history. Jesus return was proclaimed by the prophets in the Old Testament. Jesus return was proclaimed by Jesus and the Apostles in the New Testament.

And the timeless reality is that Jesus return has been ridiculed throughout history. Those who ridicule Jesus return are driven by a desire for what has been forbidden by Jesus. Those who ridicule Jesus return are driven by a belief that everything has remained the same since His death. They are driven by the belief that Jesus is not returning because the world continues to spin since the beginning of time, which reinforces their belief that God does not intervene in history to judge humanity.

However, those who ridicule Jesus return forget that God does intervene in history. They forget that God intervened in the creation of the universe. They forget that God intervened in the flood to judge humanity. And they forget that God has promised to intervene to rightly judge those who leave God out and live as though He does not exist. Peter then reveals a second reason why we need to be reminded of Jesus return in 2 Peter 3:8-10:

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

Now if you grew up in church, or spent any time in church, you are probably at least somewhat familiar with these verses. However, these verses are some of the most misunderstood and misapplied verses in the entire Bible. These verses are often misunderstood and misapplied for two reasons.

The first reason involves the word you that is used in verses 8 and 9. The word you here is plural, not singular. This verse involves a specific promise that is made for all followers of Jesus throughout history. So this verse is not about an individual promise that is made to Dave by God; this verse is about a corporate promise that is made for all followers of Jesus.

The second reason why this verse is often misunderstood and misapplied has to do with the promise itself. You see, Peter has a specific promise in mind. Peter is responding to those in verse 4 who were mockingly asking “Where is the promise of His coming?”  Peter here is addressing the specific promise of Jesus return and those who were ridiculing and deriding followers of Jesus for believing that Jesus would return. Peter here is not addressing any other promise that is made by God in the Bible.

Peter’s statement, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “Make sure you do not forget that the Lord exists outside of space and time and is not bound by time. Make sure that you do not forget that the Lord who made this promise does not hold back in hesitation when it comes to keeping His promise. Instead, make sure that you take into consideration the reality that the Lord bears up under the provocation of the selfishness and rebellion of humanity against Him because He desires that humanity would change the trajectory of their lives that are moving away from Him because they have chosen to leave God out and live as though He does not exist back to God so that they could experience the forgiveness of sin and the relationship with Him that you have experienced through Jesus."

And it is here that we see Peter reveal for us the second reason why we need to be reminded of Jesus return in that we need to be reminded of the reality of Jesus return because of how God views time. The timeless reality is that Jesus return is not constrained by time because God exists outside space and time. God looks at space and time like I am looking at this table. The timeless reality is that Jesus return is not constrained by time because God has a different perspective. God does not hesitate when it comes to whether He will keep His promise. Instead, God bears up under our rebellion to give all the opportunity to turn to Him.

And the timeless reality is that Jesus return is not constrained by time because, as Peter points out in verse 10, God will move with great suddenness and force when Jesus returns. Peter uses the word picture of a thief breaking into a home to reveal the reality that Jesus return will be unexpected and sudden in nature. Peter then pains a second word picture, this time of the roar of a lion, to reveal the reality that Jesus return will come with great force.

Jesus return will result in the dissolving of the universe. Jesus return will result in the destruction of the elements of the universe. And Jesus return will result in humanity being exposed to God's right and just judgment. When Peter uses the phrase, the earth and its works, this phrase refers to the actions produced on the earth by humanity that lives on the earth. Peter’s point is that the selfishness and rebellion of humanity that has corrupted the earth and the earth will be destroyed as a result of the burning judgment of God upon Jesus return.

Friday, we will see Peter reveal a third reason why we need to be reminded of Jesus return...